Sicily yacht sinking: Tragedy that led to deaths of seven can be result of human error, say prosecutors

Italian prosecutors suggested on Saturday (Aug 24) that thesinking of the superyacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily that led to the deaths of seven people could be the result of human error.

The seven people dead in the tragedy includedBritish tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Fifteen people survived, including Lynch’s wife.

Addressing a press conference,Ambrogio Cartosio, the head of the prosecutor’s office in Termini Imerese, said that his officeopened an initial investigation into manslaughter and negligent shipwreck.

'Disaster would be even more painful if...'

Cartosio told reporterswhile the yacht had been hit by a very sudden meteorological event, it was "plausible" that crimes of multiple manslaughters and causing a shipwreck through negligence had been committed.

So far the investigation was not aimed at any person, he added.

The prosecutor pointed out that the disaster would have been more painfulif the investigation showed it was caused by behaviours that were not aligned with the responsibilities that everyone neededto take in shipping.

The Bayesian, carrying 22 passengers, sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday morning (Aug 19) after being hit by a powerful type of wind called a downburst.

Captain, survivors questioned on incident

The yacht's CaptainJames Cutfield and the other survivors were questioned on the incident by authorities earlier this week.None of them commented publicly on how the ship went down.

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts who told the news agency Reuters thata boat like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and in any case should not have sunk as quickly as it did.

Pulling the Bayesian out of the sea will help investigators determine what happened, but the operation is likely to be complex and costly.

(With inputs from agencies)